Community Notes
Heath School ~ April 6, 2023
Our North Star
“When children and teachers feel engaged, safe, and supported we have room to grow and learn through collaboration and risk-taking with our peers.”
Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718
Dear Heath Community
Good Friday is tomorrow and the Easter holiday is this Sunday; Passover begins, and the Ramadan observances continue. We wish all who observe these high holidays a peaceful season of connection, compassion, and joy.
Heads up! On Monday during the School Committee meeting members of the school - teachers and students - will present our new initiative, the Peer Empowerment Program (PEP!), during Dr. Guillory's Spotlight on Excellence segment. Tune into the meeting to stay informed, bur REALLY come to support us! The meetings are streamed live here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=brookline+interactive+group
Spring Teacher Appreciation- May 1st!
National Teacher Appreciation Week is the first week of May! Let's honor our teachers and staff with a luncheon on Monday, May 1st. Please sign up to donate funds, bring in an item or volunteer your time. You can cook, bake, purchase or donate. You can also support your favorite local restaurant by ordering a dish to contribute.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B49AEAE28A13-spring
All items should be delivered to the Heath Lobby 8-10am on Monday, May 1st. Please add a label with ingredients if needed for allergies. Also, write your name on the bottom of the dish if you would like to claim it after the luncheon. Clean platters and bowls will be available for pick up in the lobby at dismissal.
If you would like to donate funds to help us buy food and supplies for this luncheon, please submit through
PayPal or Venmo to one of us:
PayPal: kplsawatzky@gmail.com
Venmo: @Robin-Gilula or @Katharine-Sawatzky
Thank you!
Robin Gilula and Katie Sawatzky (Parents in 40 and 5P)
Helping Families in Our School Community: Support Needed
There are times when members of our community face real need; so many of us in the past have been so helpful when needed items (food, clothing, school supplies) and financial help (gift cards to local shops) are called for.
We are wondering if anyone knows of any resources – technical help, human expertise – that we can tap into in these areas:
- securing short- and long-term financial assistance
- securing long-term housing, starting in July (1 family)
- securing short-term housing, July and August (2 families)
If you are an expert in this area - or know experts - will you let us know? We will be grateful and put your skills to use!
Please contact our K-2 School Counselor Alissa Ovadia at alissa_ovadia@psbma.org
Mayfair: Coming Up!
Mayfair is back at Heath this year! We are going to have rides, carnival games, crafts, a DJ, food and more! We need your help to staff this awesome event for our community and children. Mayfair is May 20 from 11-3pm, so we need help during those hours as well as before and after.
Sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845A4AE2BA57-mayfair
Thank you for your help! Mayfair won't be possible without A LOT of volunteers!
Class Placement: Parent Perspective Survey
It is time for us to look ahead and begin planning for the 2023-2024 school year. Parents often ask how class placements are made and what role families may play in the process. This google form is meant to answer those questions, explain the process used at Heath and in the Public Schools of Brookline, and gather feedback from you.
Each spring, teachers, staff, and administrators work to form classes for the following school year. We invite you to join this process at home. While it is not necessary, nor is it expected that parents communicate regarding class placement, if you have information about your child’s social-emotional or learning needs that you think we do not know, please complete this google form by Friday, April 28th.
We are unable to honor requests for specific teachers and letters that name a teacher will not be considered.
This feedback can help us get as much perspective as possible during this process. Additionally, this information can be helpful to next year’s teacher as they work to gather information about their students prior to the start of the school year. If you want to remind us of any past concerns you’ve had, please take a minute to do that in this questionnaire, too.
Here is the questionnaire: https://forms.gle/ALpJfBLugCXu4rPN9
We appreciate your and your child’s input and value your collaboration as we build our learning communities for the 2023-2024 school year.
Talking to Children About Tragedies: Resources
When scary things happen in the world, parents often feel stuck about what to do or say. These resources can be useful in such times, especially when we collectively experience unexpected, shocking incidents as a country. As much as we'd like to shield our children from all things painful, it is impossible. Better to be prepared with some good advice from smart folks, like these below:
Talking to Children About Violence; Tips for parents and teachers
From the National Association of School Psychologists
After a crisis, helping young children heal
From The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
15 Tips for Talking to Children About Violence
From Colorin Colorado, a bilingual site for for educators and families of English language learners
Talking to Kids about tragedies (such as shootings and terror attacks) in the News
From Children's Hospital Los Angeles: National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement
How to talk to kids about tragedies and other traumatic events
From Healthy Children.org
BEF Spotlight
Alison Kerr, our 6-8 French teacher, was featured on the Brookline Education Foundation's website! Madame Kerr has been a tireless grant-writer (and grant receiver), working closely with the BEF to secure funding for our school and the World Language Department. Thank you for supporting this virtuous cycle!
Climate Action Group: Sustainability Corner!
We are proud to launch our Sustainability Corner, an initiative of our 6-8 Student Climate Action Group.
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To begin, we'd like to gauge interest in a school-wide Sustainability Food Fest. Will you take this quick google poll?
https://forms.gle/SW1gypGzcQ4nRmAb9Now for information about Carbon Footprints:
What does the term “Carbon Footprint” mean?
A Carbon Footprint is measuring how much carbon dioxide you emit in your daily life. By measuring your carbon footprint you can understand how much of an impact you have on our changing climate.What are some ways that individuals can reduce their Carbon Footprint?
Ways that individuals can reduce their carbon footprint are by changing the way they are eating (eating less meat and eating locally grown foods), transportation (carpool, public transport, biking and walking more.), electricity (Using all renewable energy, going solar etc.) and consumption (don't go buying new clothes every week, opt for things that say that are vegan change domestic objects when they need to be changed not when you want to change them.
Why does it matter to try to reduce your own Carbon Footprint when the problem of Climate Change is so huge?
It matters to try to reduce your own Carbon Footprint when the problem is so huge because all the things we consume and do to emit CO2 adds up and is what creates this overarching problem.
For more information, and to find out details about your Carbon Footprint, check out this Site:
https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en
Watch this space for sustainability tips, upcoming events, and more!
School Renaming Efforts: No Updates This Week
Repeating this BIG Announcement! Our Four Finalists!
After careful deliberation, significant time doing research, and lots of introspection, the Student School Naming Committee is excited to announce our four finalists for our new school name! The finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Ruth Batson
- Ellen & William Craft
- Roland Hayes
- John Woodrow Wilson
Here are resources on each candidate (again, alphabetically):
Ruth Batson
Ellen & William Craft
The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William Craft | History| Smithsonian Magazine
"A Desperate Leap for Liberty": The Escape of William and Ellen Craft
The Daring Disguise that Helped One Enslaved Couple Escape to Freedom - HISTORY
"Master Slave Husband Wife": A startling tale of disguise to escape slavery - CBS News
Roland Hayes
Roland Hayes Biography – Afrocentric Voices in "Classical" Music
Trailblazing Singer Roland Hayes Turned Struggles into Triumphs | WQXR Editorial
John Woodrow Wilson
Sculpting a Legacy: The Art and Impact of John Wilson | Tufts Now
Acquisition: John Wilson’s "Young Americans" Suite and Five Additional Works on Paper
John Wilson, at 92; artist spurred by social realities - The Boston Globe
Oral history interview with John Wilson, 1993 March 11-1994 August 16
We are very excited by this news and hope you are, too!
___________________________________________
Each week, we report updates on the renaming process here. Past "Community Notes" newsletters can be found here:
https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718
The "School Name: History & Resources" website page is also updated regularly:
https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/renameheath
PowerPoint from Feb 9 School Committee Meeting
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18xY-JTcM5vrkOM0lZWPBqJDBfvIRUcXpCD6_Rci_56o/edit?usp=sharing
Upcoming Events
Find the MCAS testing calendar, here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19K4vDorJ6oKkEwgR0Z9uCvEcB021k_9u7n7kuR0N11I/edit?usp=sharing
Friday, April 7th: School Closed: Good Friday
Monday, April 10th: MCAS: Grades 6-8 ELA Part 1
Monday, April 10th: Grade 4 Rainbow Club!, 11:20-11:50am
Tuesday, April 11th: MCAS: Grades 6-8 ELA Part 2
Tuesday, April 11th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:35-11:15am
Tuesday, April 11th: Elementary Faculty Meeting: PD Led by OTL, 2:45-3:45pm
Tuesday, April 11th: PTO Meeting (via zoom), 6:00-7:00pm
Wednesday, April 12th: Grades 6-8 Student Climate Action Group, 10:35-11:05am
Wednesday, April 12th: K-8 Early Dismissal at 12:40pm
Thursday, April 13th: MCAS - ELA Makeups
Thursday, April 13th: AAPI Student Affinity Group, 10:35-11:15am
Thursday, April 13th: Young Scholars, Room 209, 2:30-3:30pm
Friday, April 14th: PEP, 8:05-8:30am
Friday, April 14th: MCAS - ELA Makeups
Friday, April 14th: Term 3: Gr. 6-8 Report Cards published to parent portal
Monday, April 17th - Friday, April 21st: School Closed: April Vacation
Monday, April 24th: MCAS: ELA Makeups
Monday, April 24th: Grade 5 Rainbow Club!, 11:20-11:50am
Tuesday, April 25th: MCAS: ELA Makeups
Tuesday, April 25th: Grades 6-8 GSA, 10:35-11:15am
Wednesday, April 26th: MCAS: ELA Makeups
Wednesday, April 26th: Grades 6-8 Student Climate Action Group, 10:35-11:05am
Thursday, April 27th: AAPI Student Affinity Group, 10:35-11:15am
Thursday, April 27th: K-6 Early Dismissal @ 12:40pm
Thursday, April 27th: Evening Conferences, 12:45-6:00pm
Friday, April 28th: MCAS - ELA Makeups (ELA Window Closes)
Friday, April 28th: PEP, 8:05am
Friday, April 28th: METCO Connections: TBD Event
In Closing
Our campus is alive with beautiful flowers right now! See the picture below of our courtyard. Soon the trees will be in bloom. Thanks for any assist you can offer with keeping our campus clean, too!
Enjoy the three-day weekend ahead. And, as always, be good to yourself, and be good to others.
~ Asa
Contact
Dr. Asa Sevelius, Ed.D. | Heath School Principal
Pronouns: he/him
Previous "Community Notes" can be found here: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/domain/718
Email: asa_sevelius@psbma.org
Website: https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/Page/17
Location: 100 Eliot Street, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
Phone: 617-879-4570
Heath School
The Public Schools Of Brookline | A METCO Partnership School
Dr. Asa Sevelius, Principal & Mr. Kirtan Patel, Vice Principal